Draw-bar protector.



UNITED srnrrns PATENT OFFICE.

FERDINAND F. GOTTSGHALL, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, A SSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO HENRY GOTTSCHALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRAW-BAR PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 1,1913. Serial No. 804,006.

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND F. Go'r'rscHALL, a citizen of the United States, 1'6".

siding at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Draw-Bar Protectors; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, suclras will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

.the broken part, such as the draw-bar from falling upon the track so as to derail, or endanger a movingtrain.

, A further purpose of the invention is to provide a supplemental automatic coupling which permits. of variations in movement between two coupled vehicles.

With these ends in view, the invention comprises the suspension of a vertical memher from a draw-bar at each end of a car, cooperating with which member is a conpling-bar so mounted in the vertical member as to permit of vertical and lateral movements, the outer unconfined end of said couplingbar being formed to engage and lockinto a similarly formed end of a cooperating coupling-bar which is adapted to be carried by another car, the movement of said coupling bars affording the means whereby said bars may be automatically brought intoloeking engagement when the main couplers of the cars are interlocked.

One embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation representing a safety attachment applied to a car coupling. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of one of the members with a coupling bar mounted therein. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through a depending member showing the coupling bar cavity and a coupling bar positioned therein. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the coupling bars.

The vauxiliary coupling comprises a vertical member or bar, suitably suspended from the ordinary draw bar of a car, and

cooperating with its depending bar, which is placed at each end of the car, is a coupling bar adapted to be. carried by the depending bar having a substantially universal movement at the free unconfined end, of said coupling bar. This unconfined end is so formedthat it will automatically engage and couple with a similar bar carried by Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

another car, said coupling bars cooperating r to form an auxiliary coupling for cars, and

actetonprevent the falling upon the track of a broken draw bar or coupling with the consequent danger to the road bed and moving tram, r y

In the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed in the accompanying drawings, 1 have shown an ordinary draw bar 1, carried by a car, a portion of which is indicated at 2, having. the ordinary coupling 3 supported at the end of the draw bar.

Depending from each draw bar, preferably near the end of the car, is a sectlon of an auxiliary coupler. This coupler comprises a substantially. vertical edepending member 4, which is preferably. slidably mounted upon the draw bar 1, although it may be securely fastened thereto, if found desirable. The depending bar 4 is provided at its upper end with a U-shapedmember 5, suitablybolted at 6 to the bar 4, said member 5 serving to suspend the bar 4 from the draw bar 1. The draw bar is shown rectangular in cross section, although it may be made in any preferred form. r

Preferably near the lower ;end of, this draw bar 4 is provided a transverse opening 7. be found that the opening is of unequal widths from the front wall 4 of the bar to the rear wall 4 thereof. The walls of this opening are preferably inclined from the rear face4 to the front face14, and a suitable bar 8 is adapted to be placed By an inspection of Fig. 3, it will within the opening to be carried by said depending bar 4 in a substantially horizontalplanea The bar 8 is shown as rectangular in cross section, and is preferably of the same width throughout its length. The forward end 4 of the opening 7 is, preferably of a size to permit of the passage ofthe bar 8 throughout,while the rear end 4 of the opening is of a greater width, which permits of the bar 8 to rest upon the edge of the walls of said opening 7 at 4 substantiallyin the form of a fulcrum having a lever, the rear end 9 of the bar 8 being permitted to have vertical and lateral play with reference to the bar t. The bar 8 is retained in position on the bar 4 by any suitable connecting means, such as a bolt 10 which prevents the forward movement of the bar 8 and its consequent disengage ment from the bar 4:. If desired, another bolt 11 maybe placed on said bar 8 to prevent the rearward movement of said bar beyond'a predetermined point with reference .to the depending bar 4:. In this event, it will, of course, be understood that the bolt "11 may be placed at various positions on the bar 8 by boring a series of holes in said bar, whereby the bolt 11 may be placed in any one of said holes.

The forward end of the bar 8 is shown bifurcated at 12 and having flared jaws 13, the outer walls of said jaws being substan tially a continuation of the outer Wall of the bar 8, while the inner walls 13 are inclined inwardly to the central slot 12, to form the bifurcation of the bar. This form of the jaws 13, together with the vertical and lateral movements of the coupling bar 8 with reference to the depending bar 4, permits of the automatic coupling of two bars 8 through their jaws 18, when cars of different types are brought into coupled engagement.

The protector, when placed upon cars, willpermit of its coupling bars 8 of each coupling section to automatically move into coupling engagement with each other when the main car couplers 3 have moved to their interlocked positions. Should the couplers, or more especially the draw bar, be come broken, these supplemental couplers 8 will operate to maintain the parts in their normal position and prevent v the broken draw bar from moving downwardly toward the road bed and thereby preclude serious accidents when the cars are in motion.

The device herein specifically illustrated is the preferred form of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention can be embodied in other forms without departing from the proper spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, an auxiliary coupling section adapted to be suspended from the draw-bar of a car to cooperate with a main car coupler, said auxiliary coupling section comprising a depending bar and a' coupling bar loosely mounted within said depending bar, means within said depending bar, means at one end of the coupling bar to engage a like coupling bar of another auxiliary coupling section, and a plurality of stops on said coupling bar to engage said depending bar and limit the longitudinal movement of the coupling bar, said depending bar having a transverse opening chambered out to permit one end of the coupling bar to assume various vertical positions.

3. In a device of the character described,

an auxiliary coupling section adapted to be suspended from a draw-bar of a car to cooperate with a main car coupler, said aux iliary coupling section comprising a depend.- ing bar removably mounted upon a draw bar, and a coupling-bar having one end adjustably mounted within said depending bar, said coupling bar being bifurcated at the other end thereof to automatically engage a like coupling bar of another auX- iliary coupling section.

4. In adevice of the class described, an auxiliary coupling section comprising a depending bar slidably mounted upon a draw bar and provided with a transverse opening, a coupling bar positioned within said opening for limited movement in different directions, and means for locking said coupling bar in position on said depending bar against endwise movement.

5. In a device of the class described, an auxiliary coupling section comprising a depending bar adapted to be slidably mounted upon a draw bar and provided with a trans verse opening having diverging walls, a coupling bar of substantially the same cross sectional area throughout its length adapted to be retained in position in said opening to permit an unconfined end thereof to assume different positions, and means at said unconfined end of the coupling bar for engaging a like coupling bar of another auxiliary coupling section.

6. In a device of the class described, an auxiliary coupling section comprising a depending bar adapted to be slidably mounted upon a draw bar and provided with a transverse opening having diverging walls, a coupling bar of substantially the same cross sectional area throughout its length adapt-ed jaws of a like coupling bar of another auxto be retained in position in said opening iliary coupling section.

to permit an unconfined end thereof to as- In testimony whereof, I afiix my signasume diflerent positions, the unconfined end ture, in presence of two Witnesses.

of said couplingbar being bifurcated and ,FERDINAND F. GOTTSCHALL. provided with jaws having diverging inner Witnesses:

walls, the jaws of one couplingbar being D. R. ELDER,

adapted to engage and interlock with the ALBERT NELSON.

five cents each, by lddrenlng the Commissioner 0! Patents, Washington). 0.?

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